"Echoes of a Celestial Ruin" is a three-CD compilation of the ambient albums "Ruins of a Celestial Fire," "Ashes from a Terrestrial Fall," and the brand new album "Echoes of the Thalassic Deep." This lengthy compilation contains twelve tracks. Since this is a massive twelve track compilation, let's just review two or three tracks per CD, rather than the entire album. "Ruins from a Celestial Fire" was released in 2020, as was "Ashes from a Terrestrial Fall." However, I could not find any information about the release of "Echoes of the Thalassic Deep."

Let's start with what I believe was the first of the three CDs here on this compilation. "Under the Alien Sea" begins with smooth ambient tones and some eerie effects from deep space. There begins a build or rich and lush sounds and suddenly you realize the enormity of the universe. It waxes and wanes a bit, but this song is all about that atmosphere. "As Death Rises from the Thalassic Deep" is another monstrous offering, with layers of keyboards. The sound is so saturated that even amidst the sprinkling of instruments, it sounds enormous. Perhaps it's because I watched it recently, but these first two songs belong on the "Stranger Things" soundtrack. It swells to completion with majesty and reverence.

Moving on to the second CD, "Ashes from a Terrestrial Fall" beings with more ominous and dark tones. It segues from there into smoother tones, as you drift off to sleep, not being able to distinguish the difference between a dream and your waking state. The keyboards sound like lasers that dart in and around you and through you, without leaving so much as a mark. "Of Desolate Poison Oceans" is a bit of an oxymoron on the surface of the title. How can a song so mellow and charming have such a nefarious title? Dig deeper, and let the song sink in, and you will be able to see the blackness of its soul. They keep your gaze focused on the pretty elements, but if you are able to break the lock of your eyes, you will not like what you see. It swells to deafening heights before breaking up and exiting quietly.

"Celestial Fires on the Path to Antares" marks the beginning of the last CD. It opens with mellow tones and the feeling if inner peace. Antares is the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpius, and I am not sure the journey there would be very peaceful. As you approach, it would probably reduce you to ash with its heat. "A Symphony in Stardust" features keyboards that light up the sky; a symphony in stardust indeed. It is benign for the most part, but if you listen carefully, you can hear more malignant tones in the background. Eventually, the darker tones are washed away by the lighter ones.

This surrounding and enveloping compilation reminds me of the amplitude of the world around us. It's like the Fermi Paradox. For those who are unfamiliar, it's "the conflict between the lack of clear, obvious evidence for extraterrestrial life and various high estimates for their existence." Some would argue, myself included, that the existence of alien life is a mathematical certainty due to the sheer size of the universe. But having an irrational phobia of space, I try not to think about it too much. The trick here is how the composer is able to say so much without saying much at all.